The following comment was submitted to "Arizona’s Own Espresso Pundit" blog. It apparently is being circulated by a neighborhood association in Phoenix [Thank you C.M.!]
1-30-08
Re: Empty/Vacant Residential Properties
Blight and Criminal Risk to Arizona Neighborhoods
Metal Recycling IndustryDear Community Stakeholder,
Please add the following information to your file. Please forward to members of your
organization or committee dealing with this neighborhood issue.These are suggestions to take and enact proactive measures to reduce the risks of the escalating volume of vacant residential properties in Arizona neighborhoods, as we wait out the stabilization of the Real Estate market.
It is well understood that the most vulnerable at risk communities will likely bear the brunt of the fall out from Sub-Prime lending practices and Mortgage Fraud and resulting criminal risks.
The boarding up and securing of vacant residential properties needs to be expanded from securing window openings and exterior doors and gates, to include securing the electrical service panels and the entire Air Conditioning/Heat Pump mechanical systems.
The boarded up vacant home at 5820 N. 42nd Lane in Phoenix demonstrates several unaddressed problems. The vacant boarded up home has well secured window openings and door entry ways. The gates to the back yard are missing from the front and at the entrance to the alley. It appears the transients may be sleeping at the location. There are also indications that there is pedestrian traffic from N. 42nd Way, west through the property to the alley. Graffiti vandalism is present.
There is no posting for an emergency contact or responsible party on the property. There is no posted No Trespassing signage at the property. This prevents neighbors, Block Watch organizations or Neighborhood Associations or local police squads from contacting the property owner to alert them about the deteriorating conditions. With out a posted No Trespassing sign and executed Authority to Arrest document, local police departments are limited in their ability to respond when there is an unidentifiable victim.
The entire electrical service panel and roof mounted Air conditioning/Heat pump has been stripped. All metal features on the exterior of the home are being removed. Historically when there was access to the interior of vacant homes, all recyclable metals and interior mechanical systems would also be removed. This theft and vandalism may only be reported by the titled owner, to local law enforcement agency.
Given the projected 20,000 mortgage foreclosures predicted for Phoenix alone, I think it would be prudent, responsible and proactive to require that the Arizona owners of this category of properties be required to:
1. Post Emergency contact information and ownership information on the main entrance door to the property, on a laminated water proofed notice.
2. Post and execute No Trespassing signage at the front and rear of the property. Execute all required No Trespass documents with local Law Enforcement agencies.
3. Schedule the property for periodic field inspection and maintenance.
4. Secure exterior openings to residential property and all exterior mechanical systems.
Ten years ago the home at 3835 W. Montebello Ave. was surrendered with a Deed in Lieu of foreclosure back to the lender. The lender "lost" the file on the property for a period of 18 months. The vacant home became blighted. The lender refused responsibility for the property. The local jurisdiction absorbed the expense of a title search to prove the lender to be the responsible property. It was only due to the vigilance of the active Block Watch and with the assistance of the Neighborhood Preservation Department that the activities described as occurring at 5820 N. 42nd Lane did not arise.
In the past 5 years another notorious foreclosed property at 5802 N. 42nd Lane owned by Washington Mutual took almost 4 years to be returned to a habitable home. The extremely high cost of rebuilding the property and reluctance of the lender to absorb the financial loss that occurred under the lenders watch created a stubborn stand off. The families living nearby absorbed the years of blight and nasty side of this. This can be prevented and must be prevented.
Given the projected volume and ever upwardly adjusted numbers of foreclosures, I would appreciate your active support and endorsement of the ideas presented in this email. Any feed back or additional ideas you might have are very welcome. Please let your concerns on this issue come forward.
Lastly, on the subject of the role the Metal Recycling industry has in the incentive to vandalize and strip vacant residential properties here is my comment. I am unfamiliar with the enforcement and funding mechanism put in place in last sessions legislation. I will be educating myself on that. However within the past week, I was present when a local recycler accepted items that were clearly stated on their sign as prohibited items, as items that would not be accepted.
Thank you.Sincerely,
Montebello Ave. Block Watch
Sevilla Neighborhood Association
Phoenix, AZ
